"They left. They're gone." Mike said, referring to Nancy and Jonathan as he walked back in from the hallways.
"They're probably making out." River joked as Mike glared at her, shaking his head.
She only cleared her throat and awkwardly looked away, and fiddling with the many rubber bands around her wrist.
Though Dustin had randomly gotten up, and Lucas followed, grabbing everyone's attention. "Where are you going?" River called out, sitting up as El raised her head off of the girls shoulder.
"To find some pudding." Dustin answered, bluntly, before continuing to run out.
"I'm hungry." River muttered, glancing at Mike and El, before getting up and running towards the exit as well, following the two boys. They had bickered and spoke over each other while searching for the pudding, nudging each other every now and then, until Dustin found it and smiled.
"I knew that bitch had some hiding." He smiled, before turning, and yelling In Rivers ear, causing her to groan, "Mike! I found the chocolate pudding."
"Here, give me one." River spoke up, as Dustin sent her a playful smile, shaking her head. "No- I-I'm hungry, Dustin. Come on." She pleaded, while he blocked her from getting any.
"Dustin." She shook her head, pushing him aside causing him to yelp as he stumbled, and Lucas laughed, watching as River took some.
She quickly opened it and looked around for any sight of spoons, in which she easily found. "I'm gonna go see if El wants to try it, shes most likely super hungry too." River spoke, her mouth full as the two boys gave her a nod, allowing her to walk off. It was cute that her first thought was of El, as they found the pudding.
She walked back into the room, and kind of immediately wished she didn't when she looked up to see Mike and El kissing. It wasn't a huge deal, that's what River told herself, but it wasn't all that true. The truth that maybe River wouldn't say out loud, or admit to anyone ever, was that she wanted Mike to kiss her. She was jealous.
It was all different now. Mike liked Eleven now and River had to deal with it, the whole party was just different now, as much as she hated it. She just needed to simply get over everything.
The only thing that broke River out of the slightly shocked stance she was in, were the cars she heard pull up, causing her eyes to widen. "Shit."
˗ˏˋ✦ ✦ ✦'ˎ˗
The five of them were all running from side to side, trying to get away from what they called the Bad Men. Everything was happening so fast, they hadn't stopped running until a certain blonde lady had showed up, pointing a gun at the kids, with a bunch of others who had them cornered.
Silence filled the room as El glared at her, and soon gushing sounds were heard, and every bad guy in sight of them dropped dead. She blew their heads up, causing everyone to glance at each other in shock.
El was now completely drained by the looks of it, when she collapsed down, River had no hesitation to run up to her, and kneel down beside her as she noticed the state condition Eleven was in, wasn't good.
"She's barely breathing.." She muttered, glancing up at the boys with worry in her eyes.
"Let's go!" Lucas commanded quickly, and they had all started to move when they heard an old voice, causing their attention to switch.
"Leave her."
The four young kids looked up slowly to see a tall, white haired man, and he was directly staring at them, his eyes looked as if he was warning them.
And just like that, River was pulled backwards, as were the boys. They were all being held from behind aggressively by more random men. Bad men.
"Get off!" River struggled to yell as she kicked around trying to get them off of her.
"Let El go!" She yelled, continuing to move around aggressively, waiting to be let go..
The party watched as the old man held El, and whispered to her in a comforting tone, he was manipulating her.
"Eleven? Eleven? Can you hear me.." He had whispered softly, with a smile as he stroked her face.
"Papa." Eleven weakly let out, before looking around.
"Yes, it's your papa." He smiled once again, nodding, as the kids continued to yell.
"Let her go!" Mike yelled as he felt himself give up from kicking random air to break free, and instead he slumped down, watching.
He kept whispering to El.
"Bad..Bad.." She shook her head, her voice cracking. He was attempting to manipulate her in her weakest state, but she knew what was right and what was wrong now.
"Mike.." She said as she reached for them once. "..Mike.." She groaned as she tried to get away, but the lights flickered, causing everyone to freeze.
Something was breaking through the wall, it was The Demogorgon, this wasn't just D & D anymore, it was real life. It was here in real life.
"Blood. Blood!" Mike yelled out, as everyone broke loose, now switching their focus to them.
Gunshots went off, the lights flickered and the kids rushed in fear. "Dustin get El!" River yelled, he did as she told him and they all started running towards a classroom, entering it quickly.
They set El on a table in the classroom and a Mike ran over to her, grabbing her hands.
"Just hold On, okay?" Mike pleaded, a worried expression across his face as as he glanced back every now and then, to see River rushing Lucas to get his slingshot out.
Then it came, The Demogorgon came in and they all panicked even more than they were before.
"Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!" They all yelled at eachother. River glanced around, she didn't have anything to contribute, to help at the moment, and it worried her. She should've been more prepared like the others.
Lucas kept shooting it, but one certain rock made it fly back. I mean, they thought it was the rock, but it was El.
"El dont!" Mike yelled as El pushed him away. He sent River a look of panic, and she took one hesitant step up, her breaths shaky as she attempted to take another. She couldn't do it, she was too scared. She was a 12 year old girl.
And River stood back in shock as they all watched her scream and scream, holding her hands up as she pressed the Demogorgon against the wall.
Then she was gone. Eleven was gone, and River had opened her eyes to see that.
"El?" Mike screamed out, standing up quickly as River did the same.
"El!" The four kids had all started to scream her name in hopes of her coming back to them, but she didn't. River stayed in the same spot, as she was tense and slightly embarrassed of her clear fear.
"River what the hell!?" Mike yelled as he walked up to her, and she turned, confused before she wiped her eyes.
"What?" She asked, as Lucas and Dustin walked over. Mikes tone showed he was angry with her, and the fighting started again, just like that.
"You could've stopped her, you c-you could've done so many things to stop her. He glared at the young girl as he spoke, and she had only gave him a small look mixed with disbelief and hope. Hope that he was just emotional and he'd drop it.
"I tried! I'm sorry I'm- I was just scared, I'm sorry." River had spoke weakly before looking down, and stammering. "A-and I just, I don't know." She finished in yet another weak tone, glancing at Dustin and Lucas who were giving her sympathetic looks. River felt herself growing embarrassed of herself as Mike continued to glare.
"See this is why it should've been you." He muttered, grabbing his backpack aggressively as River furrowed her eyebrows.
"What?" She questioned, stepping forward as Mike abruptly turned, shooting her yet another glare.
"It should have been you! Not El. No one would care anyways, like if you cause any good in the world.-" He looked as if he regret the last part, but kept his anger towards her, brushing it off.
It confused River what Mike's sudden anger came from. But it was most likely because they just lost El, and maybe he'd gotten close to her. But either way, what he said hurt, and he said it just mainly to hurt her feelings, because how she'd react. So River only took a step back and shot him a look of disbelief. He was serious, that was the worst part.
"Don't say that about her." Lucas spoke up, sternly as Dustin nodded. As he spoke up, he stepped forward and put a finger on Mike's chest as if he was threatening him as well.
"She's our friend." Dustin added in simply, as Mike stayed quiet.
"We're all scared. Hell, you are too, Wheeler. So leave her alone." Lucas muttered. Though without a word, River had grabbed her backpack and left. She pushed past Mike harshly before pushing the door open aggressively and running out, glancing around since she didn't even know where she was going, but she made it outside to see various flashing lights, and she just chose to sit down where she stood, groaning as she kicked the rocks beside her. Half of her was angry with Mike, and the other angry with herself.
Lucas and Dustin had followed her outside and they saw her sitting there, on the floor, as some ambulances and cop cars pulled up, before exchanging worried looks with each other.
"River." They softly called her name, before walking over. She looked up, and wiped her face quickly, before looking back down with a forced smile.
"He didn't mean it, you're his best friend." Dustin tried to reason, as she shook her head in response.
"No, I guess he was right. I didn't really do anything, and I could've, i'm really useful to this st-" She spoke before Lucas shook his head, and was quick to interrupt her.
"No you're not, okay? It's not your fault." He stated confidently, pulling her up.
"You're a great addition to our party, and will always remain that. Understand?" Dustin questioned softly before cracking a smile, causing River to do so as well before she slowly nodded.
"Good." The boys said in unison as they pulled her into a hug, this was probably the thing she'd cherish the most for a long time. Dustin and Lucas were very important to her. Her friendships with them were extremely meaningful and they always have been.
It was the same the other way around. They loved River just as much as she loved them, and they'd do anything to protect her, or make her feel better and that was plain and simple.
˗ˏˋ✦ ✦ ✦'ˎ˗
Waiting in the Hospital that night was nerve wracking, River just wanted to see Will. She watched as Dustin and Lucas slept and Mike sat there quietly, refusing to even glance at her.
She wasn't sat by them though, she was seated next to her brother Steve, who shockingly arrived at the hospital as well.
Taking a deep breath she furrowed her eyebrows before looking up at him, "Are you okay?" She questioned, genuinely confused as he looked down at her, nodding.
"Yeah, are you?" He had awkwardly responded, earning a nod from his younger sister.
"Yeah, I'm okay." She assured, before popped his bottom lip out, nodding slowly.
"Okay." Was the simple response he gave back, and River looked away with her smile. After going through all that she just did go through, the best person to see at the moment was Steve, waiting for her in the hospital, with a seat saved next to him, cuts and a black eye upon his face.
He was the one thing lifting her mood up right now, as he sat by her and showed her his scars, or attempted to arm wrestle with her. He sensed how she felt, and he now took it as his responsibility to make her feel better.
When Jonathan had walked in, Mike and River perked up at the same time, giving him a hopeful look as he nodded, letting out a quiet 'Yeah.' causing them to shoot up and run past him.
"Guys, Guys. He's up, Will's up!" Mike urged, and River was already last Jonathan, she decided to leave on her own anyways. She wanted to be the first to see him.
She ran in, leaving the door open behind her for the boys to come through and she stood there in slight shock as Joyce looked up. River beamed as she looked towards Will, and he gave her a smile that made her heart happy. Will was back.
Soon, the boys came in straight behind her, pushing past her as they all cheered, and she rushed up to Will as well.
"Byers!" Lucas shouted out, with a happy expression as River stepped to the side, grabbing his hand in excitement.
"Okay, be careful! Be careful with him." Joyce reminded as they all spoke over her in excitement.
They took turns to hug him, and River was the last one. She closed her eyes as she did, with a huge smile across her face before pulling away.
"Guys, Guys- Go easy on him." Jonathan chuckled, walking in.
"You won't believe what happened when you were gone, man!" Lucas exclaimed as River sent Will a nod, standing on the opposite side of the hospital bed that the boys stood on.
"It was mental!" Dustin laughed, speaking up as well.
"You had a funeral, Jennifer Hayes cried!"
"And Troy peed himself, in front of the whole school."
Will's eyes widened at the Troy comments and he looked to River, "What?" He smiled as he weakly spoke and she eagerly nodded in response.
Will had started to laugh, but those laughs only turned into various coughs, worrying the other four.
"You okay?" Mike asked, leaning forward as Will nodded.
"It got me. The Demogorgon."
"We know, it's okay. It's dead. We made a new friend. She stopped it, she saved us. But- she's gone now." Mike spoke, referring to El as River nodded awkwardly, considering the incident that happened earlier.
"Her names Eleven." River informed as she lightly nudged Will, earning a confused look from him.
"Like the number?"
"Well, We call her El for short."
The kids continued to speak over each other and River glanced towards the door to see Nancy and Jonathan, who had weak smiles plastered on their faces.
Everything was supposed to be good now. Will was back, but obviously some things had changed.
˗ˏˋ✦ ✦ ✦'ˎ˗
ONE MONTH LATER
"It roars in anger! Will your action?" Mike urged, as River turned to Will who was panicked.
"Well- What should I do?"
"Fireball him!" Lucas yelled out, as Will paused looking to Dustin who nodded slowly.
"Fireball the son of a bitch."
And with that, Will quickly turned to River who nodded eagerly as well, and then he rolled the dice, a 14.
"Fourteen!" River stood up and cheered along with Dustin in unison as she threw her hands up, in celebration.
"Direct hit! Will the Wise's fireball hits the Thessalhydra! It makes a painful-" Mike stood up to act it out, letting out a screeching sound as the rest of the kids watched, "And then. it crumbled to the ground, Its called hand reaches for you one last time, and, and and, and-" Mike collapsed down, causing the kids to continue to cheer, and River leaned forward high fiving Will as he then turned to Lucas to hug him, before the boys started to Run around.
Before ending the game, the boys started to bicker about if the game was done correctly and River only tuned out like she always would, glancing over at the fort El stayed in with a small sigh.
Jonathan quickly walked down before cringing and speaking up. "Jeez, what's that smell. You guys been playing games all day or just farting?"
"Nah thats just Dustin, he farted." Lucas snickered as River nodded in agreement, causing Dustins smile to drop.
"Dustin farted!" He began to sing as Dustin shook his head, and River let out a loud snicker.
"Well, Bye guys!" Will called out as they all said bye to him, and Lucas and Dustin had started to play fight, leaving Mike and River at the table alone.
River watched as Mike turned to look at El's fort, and she grabbed her backpack quickly, "Alright, Bye guys." She softly waved at Dustin and Lucas who furrowed their eyebrows and froze.
"Woah, woah, woah. You never leave this early on Christmas Eve." Dustin pointed out as River threw her backpack on, with a shrug as she glanced back at Mike, making quick awkward eye contact before she look away, as if she didn't even see him.
They haven't talked since that night, they were still mad at each other, especially River, and she had every reason to be, but that wouldn't stop her from hanging out with her other friends. Mike would have insisted that she didn't come tonight, but he knew it'd cause even more problems between them two, and they didn't want the party to get involved as well.
"Well, this times different. Steve came, and he's been waiting for me." She shrugged before sending them another wave and running up.
"You ready?" Steve muttered with a small smile across his face as he held his keys in his hand, earning a nod from River.
"Yeah." She simply stated as he led her towards the door after saying bye to Nancy.
"Thank you, Mrs. Wheeler!" River called out as they walked by her and she sent them a smile.
"Merry Christmas!" Steve added with a wave, causing her to nod.
"Merry Christmas, guys." Mrs. Wheeler had responded happily, before the two siblings ran out, and into Steve's car.
"That sweater is awful, by the way." River spoke with a small smile as she set her backpack in the back, and Steve sent her a sarcastic smile.
"Really, what about that cardigan?" He pointed towards his sister, snickering as she let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
"I was forced to wear this." She argued, with a small smile, as he shook his head.
"Mhm, sure."
"I really was!"
The two siblings continued to playfully bicker as Steve drove off, heading to their home.
Will was back, and that was supposed to be the end of it, they'd gotten what they've been working for. But nothing was going back to normal, and it wasn't the end of it.
A.S
It gets better I swear lmfao